The Beginning of the End
by Aloe V
Summary: If Hei had joined the Evening Primrose earlier, would he be able to change history? What would the consequences of his actions be? Would he be able to stop the Syndicate from eradicating all Contractors from the world? story still in progress
1. Calm

Note: This is my first chapter, I hope you can send some comments and suggestions to me. Please be frank so that I can improve on my writing. Thank you and I hope you enjoy it. **I do not own Darker than Black**

* * *

**Prologue/Chapter 1: Calm**

It was almost noontime and the residents of Tokyo are rushing to the restaurants and fast food chains for their lunch break.

An elderly man dressed in a black coat and a gold chain around his neck sat on a park bench reading the day's newspaper. Beside him was a black cat scratching its ears and purring contentedly. On a swing across them both sat a silver-haired girl with her left foot dipped in a puddle from last night's rain. A young Chinese man walked up to the opposite bench of the old man and rested on it.

"You're late, Hei", Huang said while flipping the paper's pages noisily.

"I had to take the other path or I would bump into Kurasawa Gai", he answered "What's the next mission?"

Mao stood and stretched himself, "Surely you've heard of the early morning bombings in Shinjuku's Building 45 and MI-6's Headquarters?"

"Yes, it's all over the news,"

"From the information our spy in MI-6 has gathered, one of their former members and her companion were involved and they are probably the culprits. Her codename under the British Secret Intelligence Service was February, but she is also referred to as Amber," continued the cat. Hei's expression changed upon hearing the last word.

"Amber…is…in Tokyo?"

Huang flipped his newspaper again, "Yes, she is here. The Syndicate was not pleased when she betrayed our organization and she must be dealt with immediately. You have enough time until 10:00 pm tomorrow evening to capture her. Bring her to our warehouse as soon as possible. The other contractors are also after her so you have substantial support. When she tries to escape you are granted the right to use deadly force. Is everything clear? Oh, and we'll check on you from time to time so you'll have to bear with us. Got it?"

"Understood," Hei said as he stood and walked away, his mind deep in thought.

"Amber, what are you going to do to this city?" he muttered to himself as he walked towards Home Run Ramen with his stomach growling fiercely, which made people stare at him.

He passed by Building 45 to check how much damage the explosion had caused. He caught sight of a young boy with grey hair and strange eyes. His right eye was green though the other was red. He kept on jumping, trying to get a necklace stuck on a tree. Hei moved closer and stretched his hand upward and took the necklace.

The boy kept staring at him and he smiled back. He handed the necklace to the boy and said, "Here, I hope it will always make you smile," with that he resumed walking.

The boy stared at him as he walked. He glanced back at the boy and smiled. The young one began to talk, "Why?" he continued,"No, I must express my gratitude. Thank you, it was nice meeting you,"

Hei beamed back at him, "Nice to meet you too. I'm Li Shengshun,"

"Maki,"

"Was that necklace a gift?"

"Hmm," he nodded "A dear friend gave it to me,"

"I see, then you must take good care of it…But, what was it doing up there?"

Maki slowly turned away and walked a few steps before looking back at Hei, "Thank you," he said as he began to run.

* * *

Dr. Kanami Ishizaki stood together with her colleagues as they watched their screens with worried faces. The sunspot cycle is occurring…again. The whole Astronomical Observatory is always a mess whenever the cycle occurs. Everyone's on the edge during these kinds of events.

Mayu Ootsuka had a huge question mark painted all over her face, as if it had been there since the day she was born. Though Kanami's senses were not that strong, she doesn't need to be a genius to notice Ootsuka's expression.

She began to explain, "The cycle happens every few years when large sunspots appear on a general surface of the sun, it looks like a giant eye,"

"Like a giant eye? How scary...I wonder if anything will happen," inquired Ootsuka

"It's alright; we still weren't able to relate the cycle to any weird phenomena so...we're pretty much in the dark when it comes to studying it..."

"But, doesn't it feel kind of disturbing? I mean, don't you feel anything weird?"

"Oh, I forgot about that…during the last sunspot cycle," Kanami's eyes looked as if she realized something important without noticing it at first. She slowly continued, "In…South America…Heaven's Gate…disappeared,"

* * *

Maki went down a dark flight of stairs with posters stuck on its walls. Upon reaching the lower level he opened slowly opened a door and closed it promptly. Inside was a dimly lit pub with a billiard table in the center and several dartboards were hanging on the wall. Sitting on a chair was a heavy built red haired man slumped on the counter who looked as if he was almost asleep. But when he heard Maki return he slightly opened his right eye and began scolding the youngster, "Honestly, what were you thinking, going back to the scene? Something could have happened,"

"I dropped something important there, I found it blown off by the explosion," he said, feeling a bit guilty for making his teammate worried.

"Were you followed?" the man closed his eyes once more.

"No, I'm fine. No need to worry, Amagiri,"

Though he may seem a bit tough and cold hearted, Amagiri cared for the boy. Months of working together made them feel more comfortable in each other's company. Due to his feelings, he could consider Maki as his younger brother, or even his son. Maki felt the same way for him too. He looked up to Amagiri and respected as if he was his own father. Unfitting as it seems, _they _could be the only people Maki considered as family.

He recalled his past when he was young; his parents had left him alone in the park when they discovered his _demonic _powers. They never cared for him, he thought. What kind of parents would leave their son alone at the age of four just because of his new abilities? Perhaps they were scared, but they could have hid him, protected him from the people who looked down on him.

He quickly brushed away the tear that fell on his cheek with his sleeve. "Where's Amber?" he asked

"She went out to look for the Final Key,"

"Then I must go with her," he glanced at Amagiri

"No, there's no point for you to go. She can look for him herself," he spoke as he drank water from his glass that was sitting right next to him.

* * *

"Dr. Ishizaki, Dr. Ishizaki!" came the electronic voice from the overhead radio, "You're needed in the Observatory's main section! Please come quickly,"

"Oh, lunch time's over? I wonder what could have happened…" she winked at Ootsuka as if everything was fine but there was a hint of fear in her voice.

They rushed to the main section and were met with people all staring towards the center of the room. Kanami's eyes widened as she realized what was happening.

"Ho…Hoshimi-sama spoke…" she said, her voice shaking.

"_Oh, lovely stars, each going out to fulfill its destiny. How short your lives are. You rise at day and fall at night. Twinkling, twinkling stars, oh where are you going? Oh stars, shining brightly in the sky. Many will fall but many will rise to fill their place. Go out and live your fates, to others you shall not bend. This is the beginning of the end."_

* * *

Class: Contractor

Messier Code: BK201

Codename: Hei

Abilities: Electrical Manipulation

Remuneration: Unknown

Relevant Information: Fought at Heaven's War (South America), Member of the Syndicate

* * *

Class: Doll

Codename: Yin

Abilities: Surveillance (Water)

Relevant Information: Member of the Syndicate

* * *

Class: Contractor

Messier Code: Unknown

Codename: Mao

Abilities: Animal Possession

Remuneration: Lose Original Body

Relevant Information: Member of the Syndicate

* * *

Class: Human

Codename: Huang

Abilities: Sniping and Assault

Relevant Information: Former officer of Tokyo Police, Member of the Syndicate


	2. Missing

Author's Note: Please leave your comments so I can improve on my writing. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the 2nd Chapter. **I do not own Darker than Black. This is a completely fictional story, all sources are from the current DTB information or products of the writer's imagination.**

**

* * *

Chapter 2: Missing**

Hei has just started eating his late lunch at Home Run Ramen. He had just cleared his seventh bowl of noodles and placed it on his pile of dirty dishes as Rina walked up and placed another bowl in front of him. The restaurant didn't have a lot of customers and sometimes Rina and her father just watched TV (the shop has a TV set hanging from a corner of the wall) all day long, though they were glad that at least he often ate in their small shop.

Hei didn't seem to mind about anything except for the fact that he was filling his stomach once more. When he was almost done with his eighth bowl, his ears pricked up when he heard the news on the TV. He stared at the set for a moment and was suddenly alerted by Huang speaking to him on his earplug.

"Hei…Hei! Can you hear me?" said the voice.

"Yes, yes. What's wrong?" he accidentally said it in a way that would make people notice him. Luckily, Rina and her father weren't paying much attention since their eyes were glued on the TV.

"Have you seen the news? The CIA's Headquarters was bombed! Plus, the investigation on Building 45 shows that the Meteor Shard stored in there was stolen. Looks like these guys are trying to start a freaking' war!"

"Should I go there right now?" asked the Contractor calmly.

"No, the Syndicate sent some of its Contractors on the scene, so you won't be of much help in there. We've got another problem," there was a hint of confusion in Huang's voice. It was a rare opportunity for Hei to hear Huang speak that way. This means that there REALLY WAS a problem.

"Okay, hold on for a sec," he said over the device

He walked up to the counter and paid for his food.

"Eh? You're leaving already, Li-kun? I thought you were going to eat some more?" asked Rina, puzzled.

"Um, I forgot something to do…so I have to leave early," he said, forcing an innocent smile on his face. "Thanks for the food…" and with that he rushed out of the shop.

"Are you still there, Huang?"

"Yes, but you have to hear me out first. Mao went to your place and to Yin's shop, but she's missing,"

His eyes widened. Yin was missing? It was quite impossible for her to leave, since she was a Doll. Her kind wouldn't be moving from where they stood (or sat) unless told to do so. It was possible for her to leave of her own volition, since she had a bit of emotion in her. But where would she go? It was pointless. He resumed their conversation.

"Understood, I'll find her as soon as I can. Notify me on whatever happens about the bombing incident,"

* * *

This wasn't the kind of day he expected. November 11 couldn't remove the slight frown planted on his face. First, his teammate is in the hospital right now, fighting for her life, courtesy of who-knows-who-the-hell-planted-the-stupid-bomb-in-Building-45. Next, his boss tells him to prioritize the capture of February, his former teammate and mentor, who probably planned the bombings.

This time, he promised himself that he would catch the culprit who almost killed April. He brought July with him to the car park and let him sit in the front. There was an air of determination that surrounded him as he drove his red car out of the building and headed towards the Central Pacific Tower.

He dialed a number on his green cell phone. The other end picked up.

"This is November, do you have any news on the CIA Building explosion?"

"Yes sir. We've got a report from our informant. It appears that a Chinese Intelligence Agent was responsible for the bombing," the man promptly replied. November hung up on him and took the next U-turn slot.

"So the Chinese Embassy will be next," he mumbled.

He sped up and headed towards the huge white building in sight. And then, it happened. The roof was covered with smoke and many more explosions happened. He turned his car to a small street beside the Embassy's back wall. He suddenly sensed something wrong and tried to stop the car. He was just in time before the explosion could have killed him and July. Luckily, he didn't receive any injuries and he was able to protect the Doll that sat beside him, though his car's window was wrecked.

As the smoke cleared, he caught sight of a young boy walking away and remembered what the message April had left him before she was blown off by the explosion. _She has one companion, a Caucasian boy with mismatched eyes…_Mismatched eyes…It was definitely him.

He wrote a number on a piece of paper and gave it to July. "If anything happens, call her," he instructed the boy as he left the car and began following Maki.

The ground was wet from the broken pipes. The boy stood still, staring at him, as November shouted.

"Where's February? Where is codename Amber?" he demanded.

"I'm not telling," that was enough for November 11. The boy made a rational decision, as expected of any Contractor.

"Then I'll have to make you..." he hardly finished his sentence when he froze the water from his feet up to the boy's.

Maki looked at his feet as they were frozen by November's ability. The British slowly walked up to him and was planning to give him a good whack, to say the least. (Of course he was going to torture the boy into telling him the information he wanted).The boy's eyes suddenly glowed red and he flicked his nose with his thumb, which made November stop in his tracks. Around him, several small handprints glowed and then exploded. He barely had time to think when his body reacted violently. It had worked on instinct. He quickly used all the water around him and diffused the explosion before it could kill him.

Maki stared at the smoke in front of him as Amagiri moved beside him and watched.

"If that kills him, he wouldn't be useful anyway," he said. Amagiri only looked at him.

But when the smoke cleared, they could see November 11 standing unsteadily and that he survived from the explosion. The two Contractors were alarmed and Amagiri aimed his palm at the MI-6 Agent. Before he was able to shoot out a blast of energy, a black van screeched behind November. Someone threw a grenade in front of them which caught them off guard. Amagiri tried to cover Maki and burned his back in doing so. They were too occupied to notice November being carried into the van by a man with a gas mask. Amagiri tried to stop them, but he was too weak.

He was only able to watch the van leave.

* * *

Hei walked as fast as he could and headed for his apartment. He passed first by the tobacco shop where Yin was 'working' and inspected it. Inside he found a small envelope placed on the corner of the wall. The writing on the outside looked as if it had been written by a girl. He took it and read the back part.

_To Hei; From Amber_

His hands trembled as he opened the envelope. His emotions flooded his veins as he tore the paper and took the sheet inside. _So, it was Amber who kidnapped Yin. What does she want this time?_ Hei wanted to exacts his revenge on Amber for betraying his trust and taking the only person he cared for in his life, his sister, Pai. He expected the letter to contain threats against him and conditions on which she would return Yin. However, that was not the case. He began to read.

_Hei,_

_I know that you want to make me pay for what I have done to you and your sister. But please listen to me first. I had to leave for everyone's sake. I know this may sound ridiculous to you but this is the truth. I had to leave you and our group. I had learned something very important that would endanger our lives and other Contractors._

_In this case, I would like to speak to you, personally. Any information more than what is written would cost you your life. Meet me in the Hill Shrine to the West. I have Yin with me. Don't worry; I didn't do anything to her. You must go there by yourself. Don't inform anyone else about this._

_Amber_

Instantly, the message had burned, causing Hei to drop the letter and smother the flames.

"This must be really important. She even attached a PANDORA NeuroBurn Strip (_see footer for notes)_," he thought.

He went to his room and got his 'business attire' ready. He took his black bulletproof coat from his closet's secret compartment and slid his white mask to his face. He grabbed a couple of daggers and looked out of the window. He made sure it was dark enough before he could go outside and meet Amber.

* * *

He thought he was dead, but his eyes slowly opened to a dim light. He was still exhausted from his last battle with the young Contractor. November 11 sat up from his bed and looked around him. He was in an old but well-kept apartment room.

He noticed a man walking up to him, holding a cup of tea. It was the man who rescued him from being captured. The man dressed in black began to speak, "It's good to see you again, November 11...or shall I say Jack?" The man smiled.

November realized who he was. He smiled back at the old man. "After all this years, I haven't heard anything from you. But you showed up unexpectedly. It's good to see you too, Uncle Huang."

* * *

Class: Contractor

Messier Code: BU476

Codename: November 11

Ability: Contact Freezing

Remuneration: Smoke cigarettes

* * *

**PANDORA NeuroBurn Strip**

Due to the increasing technology in communication interference and hacking, PANDORA has created a device that could be useful for agents who just wrote messages on paper to prevent the information from being stolen. The NeuroBurn Strip is a thin chip that could be easily attached to any paper. It detects the reader's mind if he has finished reading the whole message and automatically self-destructs by burning itself. Though the device could be quite expensive, many Contractors favor it instead of sending messages through other gadgets.


	3. Answers

**Authors Note: **I had such a hard time making this chapter. If you noticed, I added two new characters, and one of them is me (which is why I REALLY had a hard time writing this one) Thanks to Gen McVile for being the first to review this. I hope you enjoy reading it.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Answers**

Kirihara MIsaki was driving towards the Tokyo Police Department building when she caught sight of July. She wasn't mistaken, it really was him. His neat clothes and the blank look on his face were giveaways. He was talking to one of the policemen standing watch in the area. _But where could November 11 be? Shouldn't he be with July in the hospital, watching April?_ He was about to be sent away by the guards when she stopped the car and talked to them. She approached him and knelt down for him to see her face clearly.

"What happened? Where is your teammate?" she asked nervously.

"He…he didn't…come back. He told me to tell the police if anything happened," he answered passively.

"Where did he go?"

"I track all my friends,"

"Come; show me where he is," _Friends? _Misaki thought, _so it was possible for Dolls to consider other individuals as their friends?_ This was the first time she thought about it. It was widely accepted that Dolls do not have emotions and they don't act on their own decisions either. But is it possible for a Doll to call someone his friend? It was quite impossible. She tried to brush off the thought and concentrated on what she was going to do.

Misaki had a feeling that things weren't going well. She quickly stood and led the boy into the building. She doesn't know where November was, or what happened to him, but she was definitely going to find him. After all, he's been one of the best agents of MI-6, so there was a possibility he would return by himself. However, it's better to search for him too in case he's captured by the enemy.

There have already been four bombings recently, all of them were believed to be the deeds of terrorists, and at least that's what the public knows. However, the Astronomy Division has observed few star vibrations during the bombings. And a certain star, CV147, has been vibrating violently and produced very high Garhind Frequency readings. They have enough evidence that the bombings were done by Contractors and not just ordinary humans. Almost all intelligence agencies in Tokyo are alerted and the city's residents were asked to stay in their homes, using terrorist attacks as a convenient cover. _I wonder what could have happened to Li. _She was worried about him. Though she was able to meet him for the first time during Alice's birthday party, she always felt warm whenever she thought of him. _Could it be that I...like him? No, I'm just bothered by these incidents. _She quickly tried to concentrate on the current situation.

It appears to Misaki that November 11 was tasked by the MI-6 to investigate the attacks and if possible, capture the culprits.

She led July into her car and asked him to search for November. He held the glass window and stared at it, as if he was deep in thought. _I was lucky that I have a Doll with me to help search for November 11, _she thought as the engine roared to life. She began searching for the agent, thinking that it would be easy since July was with her. She was wrong.

* * *

"Oh, so you're looking for one of your former colleagues and at the same time investigating a syndicate?" Huang asked the man he considered his nephew. He took a sip from the glass of beer he was holding.

"Yes, and I believe you have some information on at least one of my assignments?" He made his reply sound like a query.

"Maybe, what's this organization you're tracking down called?" he yawned as he spoke.

"As I thought, you never change Uncle Huang. You always have your sharp eyes on various matters. But before I tell you more, I'd like you to remove everything made out of glass from this room. Luckily, you don't have windows here," he said.

Huang gulped down the last of his drink and set in on the table in the next room. He went back and closed the door.

"You may speak now," he ordered his nephew.

"It's simply called the Syndicate, that's all I know," November answered.

A smile crept up on Huang's face as he told him, "Don't worry...I've been trying to quit being a member for such a long time, but I know the price of leaving. Perhaps you could offer some protection in exchange for information?"

"Of course, Uncle, I'd gladly do that...but for now I must rest. I still feel heavy from our fight, not to mention I forgot to pay for my contract," he took a cigarette from the pack placed on the drawer beside him and lit it.

Huang's is getting closer to achieving his dream on living a peaceful and quiet life, and he wants to forget being a member of a crime organization. He is willing to wait a little bit more...

* * *

The Black Reaper quietly headed to the shrine where he would meet the person who betrayed him. He was unsure of what to feel. Should he feel angry at her for leaving him and taking his sister or should he forgive her because she had no choice? More importantly, should he capture her as he was ordered or should he abandon his mission? He is quite different from the rest. A Contractor should not be acting on his or her emotions, but lately he was doing the exact opposite.

He reached the shrine and found two girls sitting right next to each other, chatting. Standing watch a little way off was a huge red-haired man and a little boy beside him. He recognized the boy he had met earlier that day. He turned his attention back at his former teammate. Amber spotted him and approached.

"I'm glad you made it, Hei," she had said it with a smile on her face.

"What is it you're going to tell me?" he demanded.

"I know you will find this hard to believe, but I will try to convince you. Pai had told me something before I left. She knew the Syndicate's real plans. She didn't want me to tell you because she feared that something bad would happen to you, so we kept it a secret. A part of me didn't believe her, and sometimes I just thought of it as one of her new remunerations, to lie. But she was right, it did happen in South America, and it will happen again here in Japan. That's why I want you to join us, Hei. We need you. Only an agent with skills such as yours could help us stop the Syndicate from killing all of the Contractors and Dolls in the world. Please believe me. I've been trying to look for Contractors who would join us save our race from annihilation. Will you join the Evening Primrose, Hei?" she smiled at him. It was the smile that she frequently used during Heaven's War in South America.

He never thought that he had been so selfish. He only thought of himself, and not of others, especially Amber. He never knew what they were hiding, what _she_ was hiding. Now, the answers came rushing at him, like a flood in a storm. It wasn't her fault that she had to leave him, to betray him. She just made a rational decision, befitting of any Contractor, and now, she was up against the organization they had worked for so long.

Hei tried to recall the past. The Syndicate, a faction hidden in the shadows, nobody really knew what they were after. _So that's what they want. _He is not that gullible, he tried to read Amber's eyes once more if their meeting was just a trap, if her story was just a lie. But he had not found the sweetness and innocence she used to cover her real intentions. This time, she was _serious_. But he still wasn't giving up; he tried to find a loophole in her story one last time before he gave in.

"What about Pai? Where is she? Why isn't she with you?" he asked the blonde.

"She's so near yet so far. Haven't you noticed her? After a large part of South America disappeared, along with Pai, her star still stayed on the fake sky. Her Messier Code was BK201, which is your designation, too. You have all of her abilities, except for her remuneration. When her body disappeared, her soul still lived, looking for a home that would shelter it. She found you, the only person who has cared for her for her whole life. It's no wonder she chose to be with her brother. Hei, Pai is with you, she has always been since you thought she disappeared," she pointed her finger at his heart and tapped his chest lightly. "She is here,"

Most people believed that Contractors have no emotions, that they were killing machines in the form of human bodies. But they can feel. Their emotions were just not a part of their entire thought process most of the time and they relied on their logic. Hei was just one of the few who considered his feelings before he acted. Before he knew it, a tear crossed his cheek. _Pai, you've been with me the whole time._ He gently brushed it away. He decided to forgive Amber and join the E.P.R.

"I agree. I'll join you..." but before he could finish his statement, a couple of Contractors jumped over the walls enclosing the shrine.

_Oh shoot, _Hei thought, _how could I have been so stupid? _He seemed to forget that Amber was currently the primary target of the Syndicate. He received word about it earlier that day. His meeting with Amber made him quite anxious which made him forget that she was in danger. Well, not only her, but also him. They have been seen conversing with each other which would make him look like a traitor. There was only one way in which she and her friends could escape and his loyalty to the Syndicate would not be questioned.

He faced Amber in a battle stance and threw a knife just above her right shoulder. "I'm sorry, let's talk again sometime," he whispered to her. She understood his situation, or at least seems to, and gave him a slight nod.

She ran away from him as if he was the enemy and told Amagiri to fake shots at him. Hei quickly dodged the red-haired guy's energy blasts as Amber's eyes glowed, implying that she was using her time travel powers.

When Hei blinked, he saw them gone, and two Contractors ran up to him.

"Hey, Black Reaper, why did you let them escape?" asked a fair skinned Japanese woman. She had black hair cut just above her neckline.

"I almost had them, why do you have to show up at such a bad time, Echo? I had them trapped!" Hei faked his failure. Inwardly, he was relieved that they escaped. The other Contractors began to search for Amber in the vicinity.

"Eh, we're sorry about that, Mr. Hei. Please forgive our sudden intrusion," the slightly overweight guy said, bowing low as he bent his back in respect.

These two Contractors were partners and Hei knew them for some time. They had been with him for at least three missions and they weren't so bad to work with, not to mention they were just teenagers. Their ages were probably around fifteen or sixteen, but they work as if they've been doing their jobs in ages.

Echo is half-Japanese and half-Who-knows-what. She once had long black hair before but she had it cut because she said it would be an obstacle in doing her missions. She's a bit outgoing if Hei describes her, and she likes dangerous missions. The other tall guy working with her was Midnight. He came from some country in Southeast Asia, Hei wasn't sure if he was from Indonesia or the Philippines. There isn't a lot of background information on these teenagers but he knew what made them so close. They had been classmates in high school just a few months before the Gates appeared.

They were close friends, sometimes sharing secrets, but they were not lovers. Before they became Contractors each of them loved someone. Echo was lucky, she had a really tall and smart boyfriend and he came from one of the most prestigious schools. Midnight, on the other hand, was a bit of a coward. He said he liked a certain girl but he didn't confess to her. Hei wondered what these two kids would be if they didn't enter a contract. Perhaps they would be living peaceful lives, oblivious to all of the crimes and anomalies happening after Hell's Gate appeared.

But the past can't be changed after all (unless you have Amber's abilities) and both of them had become Contractors, which means that they wouldn't let their emotions take over. However, Hei felt a little closer to Midnight. The kid's so respectful and he looks so innocent all the time. He shows kindness towards children just like him. But Hei knows one of the young lad's darkest secrets, which made Hei feel more protective towards the boy. Though he does not usually show it, Midnight acts on his emotions.

He would be always avoiding having to kill someone and he would be eager to accept surveillance and retrieval operations. One night, after their mission together, Hei caught the Midnight crying under the light of the full moon (it was one of those rare nights when the real sky shows itself, temporarily blocking the fake one). He was holding a bracelet in his hands, wet with tears. He heard Hei approach him from behind and he used his ability. Quickly, he disappeared into the darkness, leaving only the light of the moon to shine across the window.

"Oh, I'm very sorry Hei-san. I thought it was someone else sneaking up on me," he said as he rubbed his eyes and hid the bracelet in his pockets, knowing that the Black Reaper can't see him. He showed himself once he was done.

"Were you just crying?" Hei asked, trying to comfort the younger one. Midnight shook his head. "It's alright, you can talk to me. I'm just like you," the man continued. He could tell that letting Hei know it wouldn't be such a bad idea. This might be the only way to free his bottled up thoughts.

"Well, if you insist…" Midnight said as he began telling Hei his long story.

* * *

Class: Contractor

Messier Code: DP265

Codename: Echo

Ability: Illusion Generation, Image Projection

Remuneration: Application of Nail Polish

Relevant Information: Recent Member of the Syndicate, Team stole the First Meteor Shard

* * *

Class: Contractor

Messier Code: MS866

Codename: Midnight

Ability: Personnel Cloaking, Field Cloaking (Invisibility)

Remuneration: unknown

Relevant Information: Recent Member of the Syndicate, Team stole the First Meteor Shard


	4. Past

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. I hope that you like this new chapter. This is the history of Codename Midnight, one of our new characters. Please Rate and Review. Thank you very much.

**

* * *

Chapter 4: Past**

It was raining hard that day. Mugi, as his classmates called him, headed to his classroom earlier than usual. There were very few students who were present since it's so early in the morning and the weather's bad.

He was glad that he was able to get out of the rain before it became worse. He dropped his bags by his desk and decided to roam around for a bit since the school's atmosphere is pleasing when there are very few people present (probably because it's raining). He noticed a bag placed on another desk, _so someone arrived earlier than I did? Who could that be? _He walked along the dark hallway aimlessly as he wondered what things might interest him in his little stroll.

Mugi was in his second year in high school. Their high school is a bit different from the rest. Instead of having three year-levels, it has four and its curriculum is more focused on science and mathematics than on arts. It educates young minds for free, because it gets its funds from the government.

At first, he didn't like to study here because he believed that the students are expected to perform a lot better than ordinary high school students. However, since he entered this school (his parents told him to try it out for the first few weeks) he was quite happy with his life. The teachers aren't as strict as they were rumored to be and the amount of schoolwork and homework was not eye-popping.

He had kept his grades at a satisfactory level for his first year (he didn't get distracted by girls or drugs) and he was placed in Section 2-C (the school has nine sections) as his class for the second year.

Now, there he was, wandering through the halls, looking out to see the gray sky and heavy clouds. _At least that covered the sky for a while. I could see the fake stars early in the morning, though I wish the real sky would return, _he thought.

Suddenly, he heard some music as he approached the end of the hall. He stopped in front of a huge door. _Music Room, _was written on the sign, _don't bring instruments out unless granted permission by the music teacher. _He could hear a violin version of the Latin Etude in E minor.

_Who would play a violin at this time? But, honestly speaking, the melody fits the sound of the rain very well_. He began to pull one of the doors open. He was momentarily stunned by the bright light inside. (This isn't an insertion from Ouran HS Host Club, as others would be thinking). He looked around the huge room before entering. He spotted the violin player and stared at her.

It was one of his classmates, Sadaya-san; he doesn't notice her in class, she was silent most of the time and he thought she was a bit plain-looking, having her shoulder-length wavy hair tied up most of the time. But things have changed, ever since that fateful day when he saw her playing the violin. He felt something warm pierce his heart the moment he saw her like that.

She stopped and looked at him with a surprised expression. He tried to break the ice.

"Um, sorry…did…did I disturb you?" he asked, scratching his head, still nervous from what he felt.

"N-no, it's alright," she tried to wipe out the odd look on her face. Her voice was soft and fragile, as if her voice box was ready to break anytime. Mugi never forgot that voice.

"Ah, I'm Arou Mugi, but you can call me Arou or Mugi, it doesn't matter, and I'm from the same class as you," he introduced himself and bowed to her.

"I'm Sadaya Marianne, pleased to meet you, Mugi-kun!" she smiled at him. Her smile was so sweet and innocent as if that was the first time she smiled. He never forgot that smile.

"Perhaps, you're thinking that Mugi's a funny name, right? It's just barley or wheat. I wonder why my parents named me that way…"

"No, it's not what you think. I like your name. To me, it means that no matter how many times you've been stepped on, you will always stand up again and never give up, just like the plant."

He felt something weird come up inside him. _So, that's what it means…she's the first person who didn't laugh at my name._ Mugi can't help but blush at the thought (though his blush was less evident than a girl'

"C-can I watch you play? Uh, you don't have to force yourself; if you don't want me to then I'll just go out…"

"No, it's alright, but I'll be playing this last piece for you. It's called Caged Bird by Miyamoto Shunichi, and it's my favorite. Well, here it goes…" she held the violin against her neck and began to play. (The Author recommends the readers to play the song in their background. Though it's played originally in piano, Sadaya-san played the vocals in violin).

Mugi watched her play, as she mixed the tune with the rain, creating a soothing melody that could lull a baby to sleep. He looked out the window, dazed by the music he was hearing AND by his heart that was beating strangely that day. He had never liked someone this way before, at least not seriously.

He wasn't interested in relationships or love. Every time he had a crush on a girl, he would brush the thought away and the next day he would always be back to his old self again: The Happy-Go-Lucky-Sorta-Nerdy-Grade-Conscious-Kid. _Maybe I like her, but I know this feeling will go away soon. _He was wrong.

A few weeks have passed…three months…he still felt that way for her. _What's wrong with me? I thought I wouldn't fall for someone? What's this I'm always feeling? _He obviously couldn't ignore his emotions this time. He needed advice from someone, and that was when he met his friend. She was in the same class as him, and they were pretty close to each other, but they considered each other as close friends or siblings and nothing more. In about two years, she would be called Echo, after entering a contract, and he would be her partner, Midnight. But the future was not yet shown to him.

(Anyway, back to the side story) He could always talk to her, and since she has a boyfriend, maybe she could help him out. After a few discussions with her, they came to a conclusion: Mugi is in love. This made him think more and more of Sadaya-san. He began to accept the fact that his once cold heart had been warmed by someone.

Whenever he meets her in the hallway, he would always greet her nervously, "Hello, Sadaya-san" or "Good morning, Sadaya-san," but she looked a bit serious lately, and she would rarely notice him or even smile back at him. _Maybe she knows that I like her, and she's angry at me for being such a coward for not confessing. _He tried his best to think of a plan to confess to her, but another thought came along…_The reason she hates me could be because she likes someone else, and she doesn't want me to disrupt her life. _And with that, he covered his heart in ice.

But every time he would harden his heart and let the feelings of love go away, her face flashes through his mind always, and he wasn't able to completely seal off his love for her. Their friends started to notice him feel uneasy whenever she was near him, to the extent that they asked her, "Hey, Sadaya-san, did you have a fight or disagreement with Mugi-kun?"

"No, it's okay. I don't remember arguing with him or something. Why do you ask?"

"He seems a bit…weird whenever you're near him. I also notice that he sometimes wants to be alone and he would just looking up at the sky," Madori-san explained.

"You better ask him then," Sadaya-san commented.

They did ask Arou, but their interview showed that he didn't have a misunderstanding with her.

"Hey, do you think that Mugi-kun is acting that way because he likes you?" Nikki began.

"No, no…How can someone like me…I'm different from you, from most of the students here. He probably thinks that I'm weird…"

They wanted to ask him about it so they sent Oliver to talk to him.

"Mugi, is the reason why you're acting strangely around Sadaya-san is not because you're angry at her but because you like her?" Arou felt his heart skip a beat. _How did they know? There's no use hiding it, anyway._

"Y-yes, I do like her, but please don't tell her…" he replied.

That was when it began. After a short while they started telling Marianne that he likes her, but she just ignores their blabbering. And as for Mugi, he grew more and more anxious and he couldn't stop loving her until they were in fourth year high school. Then, his chance came. And the sky will be playing an important role.

His plan wasn't very simple. He placed a small packet on her desk with a silver bracelet in it. Inside was a note. It said _Hi;_ _I would like to meet you at the park tomorrow afternoon after classes. I have something important to tell you. I can't tell you who I am yet, you'll find out who this is when we meet. See you._

Marianne felt her cheeks go warm after she read the message. She never had any admirers and such events made her curios and excited. She noticed the other object inside and found a silver bracelet with something embedded onto the main bead. It read _Hikari, _which means light. She blushed more when she wore it because it fits her perfectly; she then admired the silent beauty of the object. She didn't notice her friends around her witnessing whatever's taking place.

"From whom did that come from?" Nikki asked

"I…don't know…" her friends started to smirk. They began to reply in unison.

"Could it be from Mugi?"

She never thought that he would like her. She blushed once more.

"Hey, look! She's red!"

"Just stop it! I don't know where this came from but it's definitely not going to be from him! He…he would never think of me that way…" and that ended the discussion.

The next day, when school was over, Mugi grabbed his bag and stood by the school's front gate. He was surrounded by students going home talking excitedly about tonight. "Hey, do you know that you'll get to see the real sky tonight? It's a rare opportunity so let's go check it out!"; "Okay, let's go to the arcade center tonight!" he could hear some of them say. He searched for her in the crowd but he couldn't find her, so he decided to go ahead.

He was sitting on one end of a park bench, purposefully leaving the other end empty for her to sit on. He waited as he watched the orange sun slowly leaving the sky. _She wouldn't come. She probably knows I'm the one who sent her that bracelet and that note. She probably hates me. I'm so stupid, why would she like someone like me? I shouldn't have bothered her anymore. She'll hate me more when she learns that I want to confess to her. _Numerous thoughts plagued Arou's mind as he shivered in the cold winter wind.

It was night time already and he didn't notice it. _I knew it, she's not coming. _Putting these thoughts aside, he waited a bit longer, holding on to the dwindling hope he had left. Unknown to him, someone was approaching the place where he sat.

The person sat down beside him. Mugi looked to his left and saw her, the girl who made his life a lot more complicated.

She didn't notice who was sitting there at first, then his face suddenly showed. _It couldn't be…he would never think of me that way…he would never like me…it was just a coincidence that he wanted to stay here._

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat then said, "I heard that the real sky will show itself tonight so I wanted to see it from here."

She was relieved. He is here just because he wanted to watch the sky. It was all a coincidence.

"Mugi-kun, uh…did you see any student stop by here while you were waiting for the real sky?"

"No, and you don't have to use a suffix for my name when it's just between us," as he spoke, she began to feel warm, only for a short moment when the wind suddenly blew. She realized that she forgot to bring her jacket with her today. She shivered slightly, and then she felt warmer than usual. Her face turned red when she just realized that he removed his coat and put it around her, "Here, it'll help keep you warm" he said.

"Mugi, are you sure there wasn't anyone else who passed by this place? I' supposed to meet someone…"

"No, not a soul. And…the person you wanted to meet…is right here."

"So…it was you who sent it?" she felt confused.

"Yes, and I had a character imbedded into it. Hikari. Do you know why?" he was glad to finally let it out. She shook her head while her heart raced. _No, it's just a gift as a friend. Mugi-kun wouldn't notice me. He's just friendly._

"It's because…you are my light. I wanted to invite you to watch the real sky with me because I wanted to tell you something," He said without blinking an eye.

(Her thoughts) _He's…he's confessing to me? It couldn't be, I'm different, maybe even weird…_

(His thoughts) _I wouldn't want to stay silent forever. I wouldn't want to be a coward. I have to say this once and for all, even though I would surely get rejected._

"Um, Marianne, do you have someone that you like? I promise I won't tell anyone…just a secret between friends."

"No…I don't have…yet, why do you ask?"

"Because I like someone…she is simple, she is kind, she doesn't wear any accessories except for the ribbon on her hair, she is smart and talented, and she has a voice and a smile that is so fragile that you would think they'd break. At first I just tried to forget that I fell for her, but I can never stop thinking of her. I want to protect her, to tell her that I love her, even if I know she wouldn't like me back. Marianne…I…live you…" he said as he locked his eyes with hers, then he stared up into the real sky.

The full moon added to the soft light cast by the lamppost nearby. She couldn't say anything; she never thought that it would be like this that Mugi who isn't interested in girls would confess to someone such as her. However, a warm feeling crept up to her and her heart began to beat faster she could almost hear it. She stood up from the bench and said, "The real sky is much more beautiful than the fake one, isn't it?"

_I knew it…I'm being rejected. She'll tell me that we could only be friends._

"I thought that you were a weird person at first because you weren't interested in dating girls and you usually want to be alone. You seem sad most of the time but when you notice that someone's watching, you quickly put on a fake smile. That's how I knew that you're hiding something. You were different from the rest, I thought that you think only of shallow things but I was wrong. You use those to cover up what you really feel. To me, you are a deep thinker and quite an actor as well. That's why…that's why…I think I love you too."

She turned to look at him and noticed that his eyes were wet. He began to say, "I didn't think that someone would like me back, that's why I always ignore my feelings…until that day when I saw you in the Music Room, where we first introduced ourselves to each other. I like you because you are you…even if you're different from the rest…Um, does this mean that you are my girlfriend?" he said as she sat down beside him.

"Yes, and if there's someone I would want to go out with…It would be you."

"Then, is it alright if we stargaze here?"

"I don't mind…" she said as they silently watched the real sky. She didn't feel cold anymore, it wasn't because of his coat, but because of what she was feeling right now.

Moments later she leaned on his side, her head on his shoulder.

"Marianne, if you would want to go home…just tell me. I'll walk you home," he offered.

"Okay, let's go," she smiled at his kindness; she never thought that he was like this.

They left the park and headed for her house. But the peaceful silence between the two teenagers was broken when someone showed up. He was running and he bumped into Mugi, who offered to help him up. Suddenly, the man's eyes glowed bright crimson and a soft blue light covered his body. Mugi tried to block her from him, he tried to protect her.

They realized that the steel pipe that the man picked was holding turned into a sharp sword. He tried to slash them but Mugi was quick and he successfully protected Marianne. They ran from the demon that was chasing them, but they were slower than him. Mugi felt a sharp scratch through his left shoulder, then saw that his clothing and skin had been scraped off, bleeding lightly but leaving the muscle intact. He turned around and kicked the man on his shin, giving him time to rebalance.

"Run! Leave me here! Go somewhere safe, I'll hold him off!"

"Don't! You'll get yourself killed,"

"I promised to myself that I will protect you ever since the day we first met, now go!"

Confused, she ran as fast as she could, tears falling down her face. But she stopped when he was out of sight and took another path back. She didn't want him to get hurt and she wanted to be sure that he would be alright. She crouched beside a wall and watched them fight. Mugi was obviously weaker than him, but he was good enough.

Marianne accidentally cried out when Mugi was hit on the arm. The Contractor looked at her then at Mugi, it was obviously easier to kill the female. He approached her but the boy blocked him.

"Leave her out of this…" Mugi said sharply. He tried to punch him but he only got a deep wound though his arm. He winced because of the pain. He dropped to the ground.

She ran and tried to comfort him. The man, upon seeing her, raised his sword to slash her. Mugi held his hand up to stop him.

"No…don't hurt her…stop…" _Shoot! If I can only protect her. I failed. I have to do something; I can't let her die…_

Mugi stood up, breathing heavily. She noticed that his eyes that once expressed pain showed grim determination instead. They glowed red and his body glowed blue. She was so scared but she couldn't move. He held her hand and then, they were gone.

The man stood in bewilderment, and then he felt a wire go through his neck. He couldn't do anything further when the wire sent fatal shocks to him. A man with a white mask and black trench coat walked up to the dead body. He held his earplug and said,"I found him. The Moratorium is dead."

They finally revealed themselves as Mugi fell. How did they escape? Then she remembered that he was like the man. They did something weird whenever they glowed. She began to hate them, she began to hate him.

"You…you are a demon! What did you do? How did we escape? You glowed just like him. You're a monster! I…I hate you!

Mugi felt the sky fall down on him upon hearing her words. What did he do? He can't remember, all he knows is that she hates him because of his ability. She ran and left him lying on the street, bleeding. She was too scared to go near him or even look at him.

He thought he would die that time from blood loss. More importantly, he thought he would die because of heartbreak. He felt his soul seep from his body and into the red pool beneath him when he saw a man in a mask walk up to him. He didn't remember anything after that. His sight turned blurry then dark.

* * *

Class: Contractor

Messier Code: CV847

Codename: Maki

Ability: Handprint Detonation

Remuneration: Drink Hot Milk

Relevant Information: One of the first Members of the Evening Primrose


	5. Date, The EPR Blooms

**Author's Note: **This part is mostly about Hei's date with Misaki, and when his group was kicked out of the Syndicate. I hope everyone enjoys reading this chapter! Thank you to Dear4Life for appreciating my last chapter. Believe me, I didn't expect it to turn out cute, only sad and lonely, but I'm glad you liked it! :)

**

* * *

Chapter 5: Date/The Evening Primrose Blooms**

Hei took Yin with him and left the other Contractors who are still searching for Amber.

When he arrived at his apartment, he quickly changed back to his normal clothes. He opened one of his drawers and found another letter from Amber. He quickly opened it and read the message.

_Hei,_

_We will meet again after a few days. For now, just continue doing your missions. I will have the Evening Primrose contact you when the right time comes._

_Amber_

This time, Hei wasn't surprised when the message burned itself. He waited for the paper to completely turn into ashes then cleaned the mess.

Suddenly, he heard someone clawing at his window. He quickly opened it and let the black cat jump inside.

"Where did you find Yin?" Mao asked him.

The Black Reaper hesitated but finally spoke, "Can I trust you, Mao?" It was rare of him to trust anyone since the incident at Heaven's Gate, which made Mao feel a little uneasy.

"I swear I won't tell anyone else, even Huang," he sighed.

"Amber took Yin. She told me something that's why I didn't capture her. That's all I can say for now."

"Fine…I came here to tell you your new mission. Huang can't come since he's busy with the investigation on the bombings, that's why he sent me instead," Mao said.

"What about capturing her, did the Syndicate cancel the mission?"

"No, in fact they even sent some their specialist agents to hunt her down. All of the lower level agents are redirected to other missions…speaking of new missions, you have to prepare yourself. There is a certain religion that worships the Gate."

"You have to infiltrate it as an initiate, luckily, some members might pass by someday and you have to act that you are interested in this 'church'. Once you get in, you will find another agent who will assist you, you have to cooperate with her in order to kill Alma, their 'Guru'. Some of our research says that she is a Contractor who trades Dolls. She is planning to trade with an unknown organization who pays a higher price than the Syndicate; you must stop their exchange and kill her. Is everything clear?"

"Yes," Hei nodded.

Mao jumped off his window again and he was out of sight. Moments later, Hei heard his landlady scream, "You again?! Scram! Get off the trash! Stupid cat…"

* * *

Misaki was busily typing on her computer when Ootsuka handed her some papers.

"Here's the Astronomy Division's report on the murder of the guru, it appears that the BK201 has been very active in the incident," the young officer said.

"BK201? So there is a possibility that he killed her, even if the autopsy reports showed that she died from old age…"

Misaki rubbed her temples and forehead. _How am I going to catch BK201? He's been on several missions lately and I didn't even have a chance to capture him. _She painstakingly tried to organize the documents on her desk and began to scan through some of them. After that, she resumed typing and sent the complete report to her commanding officer's computer.

She didn't recognize the time until she was finished. _Just 10 minutes more and I'm out of here._

Saitou slowly approached her, "Uh, Chief…we're planning to go out tomorrow, since it's a holiday. I was wondering…would you like to come with us?"

Misaki thought about it…no, she needs to rest tomorrow. She has to solve a number of cases and she doesn't want to deal with them when she lacked sleep. She politely refused to Saitou, who was inwardly sad because his dear chief couldn't come with them.

The clock alarmed, reminding employees that their shift is over.

She exited the building and began to walk towards the train station so she could get to her apartment. She passed by November 11's 'grave'. There were some beer cans and a pack of cigarettes already placed there which means that April and July passed to pay their respects. As she turned away, she saw someone who was walking ahead of her and she realized his green jacket and his posture. She approached the man, "Li-kun!"

The man turned back to her and answered, "Ah, Misaki-san! It's nice to see you," he showed his innocent smile at her.

She quickly thought of something to say, "Are you hungry by any chance? Would you like something to eat?"

They went to a restaurant.

When they were already starting to eat, Hei, also known as Li Shengshun, asked her, "Did I look that hungry to you?"

"Well, sort of…and you look like someone I knew," Li temporarily stopped eating upon hearing this.

"Did I look like a criminal you're looking for?"

She couldn't keep herself from laughing.

"I was right…just as I thought…"

"No…no, that's…" she ate to stop her laughing.

Li's expression turned cold and serious. "Don't move," that took Misaki's attention.

"Someone's trying to snipe you from the seats in the aft,"

They stared hard at each other without blinking their eyes. She laughed louder than before.

"Come on. That wasn't convincing at all!"

"It wasn't?"

"Because…" Li noticed a rice grain sticking on his cheek. He removed it and smiled lightly.

They ate for some time and began to leave. They noticed Gai Kurasawa having problems with the bill. Gai approached Hei.

"Oh my! Li-kun, perfect timing!" he was implying about him paying the bill.

An hour later they played in the baseball machines. When they were done, Li handed Misaki a can of soda as she sat on one of the benches.

"Isn't it a wonderful sight?" he said.

"Yeah,"

"How do you fell about this city? Do you like it?"

"Well, it's not that I don't like it. It's moderately indifferent yet moderately warm. I wasn't supposed to stay here as long as I have but now I want to make it my home," he explained.

"I see. This city is getting more violent by the day, though."

"This city is peaceful, compared to the tragedy my sister and I lived through,"

"Were you in a combat zone?" she inquired. He nodded slightly.

"How about your sister, is she still there?"

"No,"

"Did she pass away? That must have been very sad," she tried to comfort him.

"I wonder about that. A part of me might have felt relieved,"

"Have you heard the rumors about the real sky?" she tried to change the topic.

"I have, but I don't think it will happen,"

"I didn't think anyone would believe it, but…look!"

They saw the city's lights being turned off one by one.

Misaki continued, "Is everyone going to wait until the skies clear up just to catch a glimpse of the stars?"

"Do you want to see the stars of the past?"

"I'd love to, but I want to show it to others even more. It won't happen unless the stars of the present fade away, though,"

"They weren't real to begin with," Li said.

"You're right, but if those stars disappear all at once, I think it would be sad in its own way,"

Their hands were almost touching each other as they sat and talked. Suddenly, Misaki's cell phone buzzed. She opened it and looked at the time.

"I have to go. I'm glad we were able to talk. I was thinking about too many things and wasn't sure about what I was doing,"

"When you're not sure about something, you should just trust your intuition,"

She remembered what November 11 said to her. She stared at Li.

"Was it something I said?" he asked.

"No, you're right," she walked up to him and held out her hand. "Thanks for keeping me company, I had fun,"

"Me too," she felt her face go warm as he held her hand.

"I'll see you around sometime," she bid him farewell.

* * *

As Hei walked home, Mao showed up in front of him.

"Hei, stay away from your apartment!"

A black van screeched towards him. Huang was in the driver's seat.

"Get in! It seems that we were thrown off the Syndicate! They'll come looking for us, so make it quick!"

Before the Black Reaper could get in, he heard a weird sound, the sound of a Contractor using his abilities. They felt their bodies get heavy and they were dragged towards the ground.

A blonde guy with short hair approached them.

"No hard feelings, BK201. I'm just following orders," he smirked.

He felt heavier now, he wasn't able to concentrate. He heard another 'glow' from a Contractor, a snap, and a scream. The weight was reduced back to normal. He noticed Wei Zhi Zhun beside the dead Contractor.

"You were lucky, BK201, I was sent by Amber to fetch you and your friends,"

Hei smiled at him. "I'm glad you came, Wei," the scarred man helped the Black Reaper stand up.

"Are the others ready?"

"Mm," they all entered the van.

"Well then, let's go!"

* * *

Class: Contractor

Messier Code: VI952

Codename: Wei Zhi Zhun

Ability: Blood Detonation (Disintegration)

Remuneration: Cut Wrist

Relevant Information: Former Member of Qing Long Tan, Member of the Evening Primrose


End file.
